Whether or not we can separate the art from the artist is a “debate” that’s become ubiquitous. In an era where we know way too much about our public figures, it usually comes up when evaluating the work of an artist who’s done harm or been canceled in the court of public opinion. But I think it’s also present (and sometimes much more insidious) with celebrities who can “do no wrong,” particularly with stan culture. The emphasis in this case is less on the art/artist and more on the can we separate them. Lines get very blurry when we put someone on a pedestal. We say “to know you is to love you” but to love someone’s work is not to know them.
To vibe to Renaissance (or even spend two days waiting in purgatory for tickets to the Renaissance tour) is not to commune with Beyoncé. To read that scathing method-acting-take-down of a New Yorker profile has nothing to do with being in the company of Jeremy Strong. And yet, it’s easy to act like we know these people. But—especially in the case of actors and pop stars—we don’t know them, we know their art. We know how they perform.
Great art does not spring from a vacuum but is the sum of all of its influences. Performance itself is about creating a relationship with “the other” whether that be the scene partner or the audience or the role itself. Through an astrological lens, this means that when we’re viewing someone’s art, we’re not seeing them (the ascendant or rising sign), we’re seeing who they are through their influences (midheaven) and relationships (descendant). When we read profiles or watch interviews, we’re getting a taste of that ascendant but we’re watching it through the filter of visibility and meeting the other. Yet still, we all have our special characters and celebs and songs and Wikipedia spirals. Often it’s less about knowing the artist and more about learning more about ourselves through their filter. It’s a queer identity play, yes. But mostly: it’s relationship.
What I’m getting at is separation—whether it’s art from artist or self from other—often feels like an illusion. It’s why we get consumed and enmeshed and project our fantasies onto other people and into the void. We forget where one ends and we begin. We attempt to enforce our sameness rather than tip the scales of individuation. It’s scary to approach imbalance, the tipping point—when has a scale ever reflected perfect equilibrium on a first try? If everything was equitable, we wouldn’t need to weigh things at all. We wouldn’t be caught in a constant loop searching for justice.
This week’s Full Moon in Libra (4/6 at 12:34 AM EST) revealed some very telling imbalances. The lunation went exact at 16º Libra which falls in a part of the zodiac associated with the 3 of Swords. The Golden Dawn called this card “Lord of Sorrow” and in Pamela Colman Smith’s illustration for the Rider-Waite deck, we see a bright red heart with 3 swords stabbed through it in the foreground and cloudy skies in the background. Even those who have no knowledge of tarot can easily see what this card is all about—heartbreak and let down and wallowing. This part of Libra is Saturn’s gloomy domain.
But T. Susan Chang says in 36 Secrets, “…it may help to think of [the 3 of Swords] in the very same way you think of rain: Gloomy for sure, and terrible for parades—but also the very water of life for everything that sustains us.”
Or, as Libra Hilary Duff once said, “Let the rain fall down / I’m coming clean.”
This Full Moon didn’t make us wallow, it allowed us to wallow. It allowed us to separate from the fantasy so we could admit to the facts of reality. We thought we were the other, but in fact, we’re still the self. In this case, the let down is grounding. What’s disorienting is that we’re no longer consumed.
Venus ruled this Full Moon from Taurus, gliding into an exact sextile with hazy Neptune. If you listened to this week’s pod, you know that I’ve dubbed this the aspect of surrealists. Surrealist meaning a person who makes the unconscious visible, makes dreams visible, makes the impossible into something tangible. This aspect allows us NOT to get lost in that fantasy BUT to give that fantasy a shape. I think of it almost like Brecht’s (who was born with the Moon in Libra, btw) Epic Theatre where the point is not to suspend disbelief but to see the world (of the play) as it is. It’s called “alienation effect” but it’s just separation.
Separation is alienation.
It’s also the first step toward coming back together.
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We’re now hurtling toward a Solar Eclipse on April 20. Though the point of the Moon’s waning phase is usually integration, we’re approaching many unknowns. This distillation batch will be super potent. It will have a funky taste. What was revealed during this week’s Full Moon was a culmination of:
the New Moon in Aries on March 21
the New Moon in Libra on September 25, 2022
the New Moon in Libra on October 6, 2021, which also fell in the Libra II decan.
What was revealed? How have the events of this week impacted your relationships? What separations occurred? How did you take that disillusionment medicine down?
This is the last Full Moon in Libra that won’t be Eclipsed until 2025. What’s revealed now will be part of the rapid beginnings, endings and transformations of the next few years. What’s come to the surface will be integrated, but probably in a way that you can’t yet imagine. Alchemy begins with identifying the ingredients. So may we start.
If you want to get into more of what this means for your chart specifically, you can book a reading. My calendar is open through the end of May!
Horoscopes follow for each sign. Read for your rising sign to get the most accurate take on what’s “actually” “happening.” Read for your Sun (if you’re born during the day), or your Moon (if you’re born at night) if you want a second opinion. Take what makes sense and leave what doesn’t. These horoscopes are meant to be found.
Libra
You’re more aware than most of your own kaleidoscopic composition. It’s been your mission to consider the best of others beside the worst of yourself and vice versa and all of the above. But this Full Moon revealed that when it comes to putting yourself first: only you can do it. It’s simple, really. Taking care of yourself. Vegetables. Vitamins. Jogs. Reading before bed. But it felt nicer to get carried away into everyone else’s business. Stay with what’s rumbling below for the next two weeks so that when the eclipses come, you’re ready to receive what’s deposited and who’s at your door.
Scorpio
You thought Libra was supposed to be nice, but honestly, that’s a huge misconception. What came up this week for you wasn’t nice. It was ugly, hard to look at, or most likely: undefinable. Maybe it felt good, but it was exhausting. Maybe it felt good, but it wasn’t meant to stay. Your best case scenario is getting out of town; fleeing to another time zone so you can recenter in your own void. Things will get better over the next two weeks and throughout it, your assignment is to keep moving and remain hopeful. Define your boundaries so you can accept the changes that are ahead.
Sagittarius
The Full Moon gave you a very clear picture of who’s paying attention to your work. Your audience demystified. Your coworkers’ opinions shared. Your friends extending or skipping out on invitations. The point isn’t to mourn who isn’t in your corner but to celebrate who is tuning in. Let that inform what you have to say. Your assignment for the next two weeks is to get back in touch with your identity, values and routine so you can spend time doing the things that actually make you happy. Plenty of pleasures are on the horizon. Prepare yourself to receive them.
Capricorn
Whether or not you’re “where you’d like to be” when it comes to your career, the Full Moon revealed exactly where you are. There’s no point in looking away from the map. Ripping off that “You Are Here” sticker will only further muddle your path. Over the next two weeks, your assignment is to focus on your own needs rather than what everyone else wants. Eclipse season allows you to rebuild in unexpected ways: start with a riddle, lay a funky foundation, reverse engineer a big dream. You don’t need any more feedback. Pay attention to yourself.
Aquarius
The part of you that wants to share more was awakened at this week’s Full Moon. It’s nice because you’ve been lacking that desire, but also terrifying because you’re worried that everything is too messy. What if it doesn’t have to be complete though? What if you share sketches and call them songs? Lana Del Rey does it! Format is less important than heart. For the next two weeks, your mission is to put a few songs out there. See how it goes. See how it makes you feel in your body. The eclipses will bring new rituals to integrate.
Pisces
Something was purged for you at this Full Moon. Maybe the question isn’t: did the spell work? But rather, do you feel lighter? After the storm or the cry or the meeting with your accountant, do you feel like you’re past the worst of it? Ready to face the next battle and claim your new vision? For the next two weeks, your mission is to come back to yourself. It’s not easy to assert your needs but there’s a few things you still need to reclaim. You can still be fulfilled after giving it away.
Aries
What conversations are you having this week? How are your relationships blossoming? Do you feel satisfied in this partnership or are you ready to walk away? This Full Moon allowed you to see yourself reflected, and the ultimate question now is: did you like what you saw? For the next two weeks, it’s your mission to keep connecting. The eclipse on April 20th is more about you than it is about anyone else. Your body. Your health. Your mind. Do you already know what you need to adjust?
Taurus
You’re heading into the weekend after a very busy week. The Full Moon in Libra revealed where you have more room to grow and also where you’re running yourself into the ground. Are you sure all of these battles are worth fighting? Is there something you’re hanging onto that you’re better off letting go? Your mission for the next two weeks is to share your wins and your struggles; it’s time to get feedback before moving ahead. Eclipse season might take you out of yourself so figure out who you can call when you’re feeling adrift.
Gemini
This week’s revelation was that you’re in one place while all your desires are in another. It’s OK to keep serving your friends, your audience or your team, but when’s the last time you paused to check in with your own gut? What you want does matter. You have a say in this too. Hopefully this revelation helped release some resentments rather than further calcifying them. Your assignment over the next two weeks is to integrate more of what you love into your daily routine and share those routines with a lover or friend. Then the eclipses will shake up your dreams once again.
Cancer
Are you settling down or running further from a foundation? This Full Moon gave you all the requirements you need to stay. You need somewhere with the comfort of like-minded community. You need art and joy and love. If you’ve been ignoring the basics in pursuit of public life, you need to go back to the start. Back in September, you had an inkling about where you wanted to plant your roots. Do you still like the quality of that soil? Your assignment over the next two weeks is to consider the needs of your closest people before taking further action for yourself.
Leo
It’s been another busy week as you’ve been running around from date to date and appointment to appointment. But has keeping your schedule stacked with meetings and friends and conversations allowed you to ignore the lack of purpose you’ve been feeling in your days? It’s time for your big visions to become a reality. But the first step is taking yourself seriously. For the next two weeks, your assignment is to stick to a schedule and see how it feels. Can you be a master of your own routine?
Virgo
Back in September, you felt a craving. Desire. Hunger. Needs unlocked. This wasn’t a desire pit. It was a calm knowing. Did you commit to finding that satisfaction? This week’s Full Moon revealed how disciplined you’ve been in pursuit of desire. Have you been overindulging? Or have you barely been keeping yourself fed? Eclipse season will open up some new collaborative cans of worms. You’ll be dealing with a lot of energy from other people. Your assignment for the next two weeks is to get your own resources in order. Gather the supplies.